Reviews
Welcome all to my reviews page. If you are interested in reading my novels, here is a list of the reviews for each. Just click on the book in which you are interested, and you will find all the reviews for it, listed by year. Enjoy! Hope to see yours there soon!
Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra delivers a heartfelt and enchanting small-town romance that blooms with warmth, hope, and emotional authenticity.
Set in the charming, secret-filled community of Hidden Glen, A Flower from Keanu beautifully explores grief, second chances, healing, and the unexpected ways love finds us when we need it most. Cassandra and Keanu are wonderfully relatable characters whose journey feels both tender and uplifting.
Rich with memorable supporting characters, humor, and heartfelt moments, this novella is a delightful reminder that even after loss, new beginnings can flourish. Highly recommended.
The International Review of Books
Darkly Elegant Mystery
What a great read! If you like crime mysteries and are a ballet aficionado, this is a perfect book for you! Maria Elena Alonso Sierra pirouettes her readers straight into the glittering yet dangerous underworld of professional ballet, a surprisingly uber competitive and cut throat realm filled with brutality and deadly ambition. A mesmerizing and haunting thriller that sticks the landing with a breathtaking surprise ending.
Rita on October 19, 2025
Read All Reviews for Rhapsody in Black
THE COIN...ah Gabriela totally captured me and the MYSTERY of the COIN, LOVE and a very intriguing Story.
Set in the SOUTH OF FRANCE, the feeling one has instantly is that the 'reader' is being taken into a mystery and thriller and complex love budding born out of chemistry and how the UNIVERSE brings people together. The COIN itself fascinated me and what it connects to. However, the men in the story around Gaby is a fascinating play of male second guessing who's part will uncover the secrets of this hidden aspect going on in the storyline.
This is my FIRST TIME reading one of Maria Elena's books and my sense is this is meant for a TV Series and absolutely HELD me wanting more pages when done.
Well written, professionally clean edit, character development stellar and yes, I'm an author too so I NOTICE those things. The romance is utterly a surprise to Gaby and how to handle that as she is married. FATE does some fascinating things and the COIN is the MASTER of what is UNFOLDING in the play of the book.
LOVE IT and want more.
Warmest thoughts, Roshandra / R. M. Simoné
Love it and Want More by Roshandra Simone on February 25, 2024
Gabriela Martinez is a well-known author that is about to put her book up for auction. People are willing to do anything to get their hand on her book. At least one person is willing to take her life. There are plenty of twists to keep you listening, or turning the pages if you are reading the book. A few times I felt like I was getting lost when things from the previous book were referenced, but I was able to piece things together without any issues. This was the first book I have ever picked up by this author. I will be going to read book one and I will definitely be checking out her other works.
Plenty of Twists by Charlisa Wahtomy-Alba on July 18, 2023
Read All Reviews for The Books of Hours
I read this book as part of an online book club. I have read other works of fiction by this author and love her. This collection of short stories was something different though. Through them I felt a connection to the authors life as a Cuban woman. The section Soul Songs (Stories from the Cuban Diaspora) were particularly enlightening and heartwarming. The story ‘Rites of Passage’ I think I connected to on a personal level which was a lot of fun. I was also excited at the prospect of new suspense fiction in the section Prologues which whet my whistle for the stories that might come with it. Overall, this was a wonderful collection of short stories.
Wonderful Collection of Short Stories
An intriguing story of murder. A did she do it or didn’t she? The camera doesn’t lie. Or does it? I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Then I’ll decide if it’s intriguing enough for me to read on.
Did she or didn’t she? by Connie Charron on March 27, 2021
Read All Reviews for Mirror, Mirror: A Prequel Detective Nick Larson Short Story
Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra’s novel “Hanging Softly in the Night,” featuring Detective Nick Larson, is an intriguing, suspenseful read that expertly intertwines mystery and psychological complexity. From the very beginning, readers are thrust into an unsettling atmosphere when Detective Nick Larson is called to investigate a suspicious suicide on New York’s Upper East Side. It soon becomes clear that the suicide is likely staged, dragging Nick and his partner, Vic Sacco, into a meticulous and chilling murder investigation.
What makes this book particularly compelling is its depth of character development. Alonso-Sierra goes beyond the usual detective clichés, creating a protagonist haunted by personal tragedy. Nick Larson’s tortured past, especially concerning the suicide of his ex-wife Angela, constantly simmers beneath the surface, offering layers of emotional and psychological tension that add depth to the investigative narrative. Larson’s internal struggles and emotional vulnerability make him a relatable and multidimensional protagonist, grounding the detective story with realism and authenticity.
Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra’s writing is crisp and fluid, weaving dark, atmospheric descriptions of crime scenes that engage all senses, making the reader feel the chilling air and smell the unsettling odors of a crime scene. She vividly captures the city’s gritty underbelly juxtaposed against upscale environments, drawing readers into the authenticity and complexity of city life. The tension between the harshness of reality and the nuances of the characters’ personal lives creates a compelling backdrop that keeps readers deeply invested in the story.
Moreover, Alonso-Sierra crafts robust secondary characters, from Larson’s practical and witty partner Sacco to Tish Ramos, the meticulous forensic expert. Their interactions are lively, believable, and peppered with a sense of camaraderie and professionalism that makes the narrative engaging and richly textured. Additionally, the subplot involving Laura Howard—Nick Larson’s complicated romantic interest—adds emotional complexity and intrigue. Her past, intertwined with Larson’s, deepens the storyline and underscores themes of loss, resilience, and the long-lasting impacts of emotional trauma.
“Hanging Softly in the Night” also incorporates themes of societal voyeurism and online harassment, portrayed vividly through Laura Howard’s subplot. The struggles with her bakery’s online reputation, following false accusations and negative reviews instigated by her incarcerated twin sister Sandra Ward, highlight a timely commentary on the destructive power of technology and social media. This subplot does not distract but rather complements the main narrative, underlining the far-reaching consequences of personal vendettas.
Alonso-Sierra effectively sustains suspense throughout the narrative, delivering a satisfying balance between detective work and the personal complexities of her characters’ lives. The meticulous details provided about investigative procedures lend credibility to the novel, enhancing the realism and immersing the reader further into the unfolding mystery.
In conclusion, “Hanging Softly in the Night” is a captivating and suspenseful novel that skillfully combines psychological depth, realistic police procedural elements, and relevant social themes. Detective Nick Larson emerges as an engaging and nuanced protagonist whose struggles add emotional resonance to the gripping mystery at hand. Highly recommended for fans of intelligent crime thrillers, Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra’s novel will keep readers engrossed until the very last page.
It is an unreservedly recommended Golden Quill read.
2025 Millennium Book Award Longlist Author, December 24, 2025
Read All Reviews for Hanging Softly in the Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel
